Inflatable water ski

ABSTRACT

A two-compartment inflatable water ski having a hinged rigid keel secured thereto. The ski has a pair of open top foot receiving compartments for supporting the user and has a depending fin to assist in the steering of the ski. A depending cup at the forward end of the ski assists in using the ski for walking on the water. A pair of ski poles having inflated inverted cup-shaped members on the lower ends are used for steadying the user when using the skis for walking on the water. The two compartments are formed by either a transverse partition or a longitudinal partition with each compartment having a separate inflating valve.

United States Patent 91 Ceccato 1 Aug. 7, 1973 INFLATABLE WATER SKI [76] Inventor: Alberto P. Ceccato, 6217 Belva Way,

North Highlands, Calif.

Primary ExaminerMi1ton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Sauberer Attorney-Alexander B. Blair [57] ABSTRACT A two-compartment inflatable water ski having a hinged rigid keel secured thereto. The ski has a pair of open top foot receiving compartments for supporting the user and has a depending fin to assist in the steering of the ski. A depending cup at the forward end of the ski assists in using the ski for walking on the water. A pair of ski poles having inflated inverted cup-shaped members on the lower ends are used for steadying the user when using the skis for walking on the water. The two compartments are formed by either a transverse partition or a longitudinal partition with each compartment having a separate inflating valve.

1 Claim, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEU AUG 3. 750 203 IN VEN TOR.

1%] 176.6 WWW ATTORNEY.

INFLATABLE WATER SKI BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to water skis and more particularly to inflated water skis.

2. Summary of the Invention An inflated water ski having a partition separating it into two compartments both of which have an air inflation valve. The water ski has open top compartments for receiving the feet of the user and is provided with a hinged keel of rigid material. A depending fin is provided for assisting in steering the ski and a depending cup shaped member is secured to the forward end of the ski to assist in walking with the ski on water. A pair of ski poles having inverted cup-like inflated members on their lower ends are used for steadying the user when walking on water. The primary object of the invention is to provide an inflated ski which can be used for walking on water as well as skiing on water.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent 'in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is atop plan'view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the invention shown par- H tially broken away and in section for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. I looking in thedirection of thearrows;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-'4 of FIG. 1 looking inthe direction of the ar- FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6,is a side elevation of an inflatable ski pole;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the ski pole illustrated in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the ski pole.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures the reference numeral 10 indicates generally'a water ski constructed in'accordance with the invention and adapted to be used with a pair of ski keel is secured to the center of the bottom of the ski keel to be folded on itself when the ski I0 is deflated.

A rigid fin 20 is secured to the keel 18 and extends downwardly therefrom adjacent the rear of the ski 10 to assist in steering the ski 10 when in use. A depending cup member 21 is secured to the keel 18 adjacent the forward end of the ski 10 to assist in walking on water with the ski I0 as desired. A compartment 22 is formed in the ski I0 shaped to fit the foot of the user and a second compartment 23 is formed in the ski l0 rearwardly of the compartment 22. The compartments 22, 23 are used in the manner of the foot harness in regular water skiing or if a pair of axis are used may be used for walking on water by placing the feet in the forward compartment 22 of the pair of skis.

An air inflation valve 24 is formed in the side wall 15 of the ski 10 adjacent the forward end thereof and a second air inflation valve 25 is formed in the side wall 15 adjacent the rear end of the ski 10 so that both compartments on opposite sides of the partition 17 may be separately inflated.

The ski poles 11 include an elongate rod 26 having a wrist strap 27 rigidly secured to the upper end thereof. An inflatable cup shaped dome member 28 has a rigid socket 29 for receiving the rod 26 on its lower end. An inflating valve 30 is provided in the inflatable dome member 28 so that it may be filled with air.

In the use and operation of the invention the ski 10 is unfolded and inflated following which one foot is placed in the foot compartment 22 of each of the pair of skis. The user walks on water using the ski poles II to obtain both thrust and balance with the dome members 28 being thrust against the water to provide the desired resistance.

When desired the user may be towed behind the boat wearing the skis in the same manner but discarding the ski poles 11. In the event that the skier wishes to use only one ski he can place-one foot in the foot compartment 22 and the other foot in the foot compartment 23 to thus support both feet. When skiing the ski is used in the conventional manner with the exception that the ski will provide a buoyant rest for the skier to cling to while the boat is returning for him.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A water ski comprising an elongate two piece keel secured secured together in end to end relation with a transversely pivoting hinge, an air tight inflatable body secured to said keel, an open top foot compartment formed in said inflatable body for receiving the foot of the user, means on said body for inflating said body, said inflatable body being formed of flexible air tight material, a vertical transverse partition dividing said body into a pair of air tight compartments, and a second open top foot compartment formed in said inflatable body rearwardly of said first foot compartment.

i t i i i 

1. A water ski comprising an elongate two piece keel secured secured together in end to end relation with a transversely pivoting hinge, an air tight inflatable body secured to said keel, an open top foot compartment formed in said inflatable body for receiving the foot of the user, means on said body for inflating said body, said inflatable body being formed of flexible air tight material, a vertical transverse partition dividing said body into a pair of air tight compartments, and a second open top foot compartment formed in said inflatable body rearwardly of said first foot compartment. 